Work on a replacement for the 100-year-old Portal Bridge over the Hackensack River in New Jersey is 80 percent complete, according to Chrissa Roessner, chief of construction management overseeing the Portal North Bridge project.
Built by the Pennsylvania Railroad and placed into service in November 1910, the current Portal Bridge railway bridge features a moveable swing span to allow maritime traffic to pass through.
Skanska/Traylor Bros JV photo
Due to an expiring life expectancy that poses risks for the aging structure, as well as frequent malfunctions during opening and closing — leading not just to travel delays, but also to true-life stories of bridge operators using a sledgehammer to force closure — a determination was made to replace the bridge, which serves as an important route for commuters in the congested territory between Newark, N.J., and Penn Station, N.Y. The bridge carries more than 450 daily Amtrak and NJ Transit trains and up to 200,000 passengers on a daily basis.
Partners
Working closely together to coordinate efforts are Amtrak, Gateway Development Corporation, USDOT Federal Railroad Administration, USDOT Federal Transit Administration and NJ Transit, the nation's largest statewide public transportation system providing more than 925,000 weekday trips on 264 bus routes, three light rail lines, 12 commuter rail lines and through Access Link paratransit service.
It is the third largest transit system in the country with 165 rail stations, 62 light rail stations and more than 19,000 bus stops linking major points in New Jersey, New York and Philadelphia.
Skanska/Traylor Bros JV photo
During early stages of the project when major civil work was being done, Roessner estimated "several hundred" workers on site at a time — probably 400-500. More recently, she said there are approximately 50, although there can still be 100-200 people working on site during the cutovers.
Funding the Project
The NJ Transit board of directors approved a contract with Skanska/Traylor Bros Joint Venture in October 2021 for $1,559,993,000 — the largest award in NJ Transit's history. Money comes from the U.S. Department of Transportation, Transportation Trust Fund, New Jersey Turnpike Authority and Amtrak.
Former New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy signed a Full Funding Grant Agreement in January 2021 that secured $766.5 million in Federal Transit Administration funding to support the project's final design and construction and then advertised the Invitation for Bid. The two-step procurement process included the Special Pre-Qualification of Bidders.
By May of that year, NJ Transit pre-qualified four bidders and conducted a pre-bid conference and Disadvantaged Business Enterprise outreach. Two of the pre-qualified bidders submitted proposals on Sept. 2, 2021. Skanska-Traylor PNB Joint Venture of Queens, N.Y., was deemed the lowest responsible and responsive bidder. The contract represents the single largest construction award in NJ Transit's history.
Preparation
Before work could begin, the project required Right of Way takings and relocation of some local businesses, Roessner said. "The new bridge has a shifted alignment," she told Construction Equipment Guide.
Skanska/Traylor Bros JV photo
Because the bridge is situated in a heavy industrial area, much of the region was contaminated, which posed environmental considerations during dewatering and soil removal. Roessner said chromium was found in the soil and groundwater, requiring careful handling.
She added that the original proposal called for maintaining the existing bridge intact and relocating it, due to its historical significance. However, it was determined not to be feasible.
Bridge to Modernity
The two-track replacement bridge will feature a high-level fixed span that does not open or close, rising 50 ft. over the river — doubling the height clearance. This will allow marine traffic to pass underneath without interrupting rail traffic.
Including the approaches, it will span nearly 2.5 mi. of the Northeast Corridor.
Three 400-ft. arches were assembled off site per the contractor (Skanska/Traylor Bros Joint Venture) and floated down the Hudson River and up the Hackensack, through the existing bridge to its north side, where they were elevated into place in conjunction with the tides.
"The main operation was done from the barge," Roessner said, adding that, while this procedure has been done before, using lifts and jacks, it is rather unique to lift a tied arch structure from a barge.
Other work includes construction of retaining walls, deep foundations, concrete piers, structural steel bridge spans, rail systems, demolition of the existing bridge and related incidental works.
Foundations for new piers were drilled, but Roessner said that was one of the project's challenges because of the geotechnical constraints. This is a designated site, she said, adding "There's a lot of muck and mud. It's wet — not suitable for a spread foundation."
Drilling shafts wasn't the only complication. Tying in at the east and west ends was tricky because crews were working in proximity to live railroad tracks.
"They have to decommission a track, build brand new signals, brand new communications, brand new everything on a new track while their trains running next to them," said Kris Kolluri, president and CEO of NJ Transit.
Cutovers
Currently, crews are working on the viaduct, setting additional foundations along the northeast abutment and working on tie-ins.
"Track 3 limited what we could demolish and build with Track 2," Roessner said.
Skanska/Traylor Bros JV photo
Cutovers, or transfers, of Amtrak-owned wires and electrical systems from one track of rail service from the century-old Portal Bridge to the new Portal North Bridge over the Hackensack River enable trains to keep running.
Two cutover disruptions are planned. The second phase of cutover work is expected to begin in Fall 2026, which will complete the transition.
Both NJ Transit and Amtrak will be doing some of the work on this project in-house. Specifically, Roessner said they will be handling the two major service cutovers, moving Track 3 onto new tracks on the new bridge, and later this fall, doing the same with Track 2.
By the Numbers
The Portal North Bridge project spans 2.44 mi. of the Northeast Corridor line. This project will use:
• 45 million lbs. of structural steel
• 215,000 cu. yds. of concrete
• 210,000 linear ft. of piles
• 21,000 linear ft. of drilled shafts
• 4,500 linear ft. of retaining walls
The concrete is being "hauled in on a lot of trucks," Roessner said.
Other materials are being staged at an offsite location.
"The contractor's office is in Harrison," she added. "They have a big yard where the steel is being kept until needed."
Construction is anticipated to take approximately five and a half years to complete. There are incentives to finish on time, with six milestones. Roessner said that the contractor has achieved four milestones to date and expects to reach the fifth later this year.
"It's remarkable to be on time and on budget with a project of this magnitude," Roessner said. "It's exciting to have these successes."
She expects to see both tracks in service by September 2026. Once both tracks are in-service on the new bridge, the original bridge will be demolished and the new bridge will accommodate all traffic. The next critical deadline is Thanksgiving.
Benefits, Temporary Inconveniences
Skanska/Traylor Bros JV photo
Once the new bridge is completed, it is expected to remove conflicts with maritime traffic because the movable span will be gone. Reliability and safety will be increased, as will train speeds. Capacity and seat availability will be maximized. As part of the Gateway Program, Portal North Bridge will eventually double rail capacity between Newark and New York.
NJ Transit and Amtrak focused on three critical objectives when they developed the service plan: capacity, continuity and safety. They are working to maintain service on all rail lines during construction, minimizing impacts to customers to the greatest extent possible, while contending with the operational realities during the cutover period; however, train schedules have been modified to include some train consolidations or cancellations, and others with changed departure times and/or stopping patterns.
"We understand that this work will disrupt the way our customers travel during the cutover period, which is why every element of our service plan was designed to keep people moving as safely and efficiently as possible," said Kolluri. "While the disruption is temporary, the benefits — including a far more reliable and resilient commute along the Northeast Corridor — will last for generations."
To keep the traveling public aware of changes in their commute, Roessner said NJ Transit issues joint press releases with Amtrak, as well as post updates on their website and on their app. "We have a great communication plan in place."
She added that "general construction doesn't affect the customers" because crews do most of the work at night while the Coast Guard keeps the channel closed to taller watercraft.
The 114-year-old swing bridge has been an enduring source of major service disruptions for NJ Transit and Amtrak customers traveling on the Northeast Corridor. When the project is completed, it will improve reliability and safety, reduce bridge-related delays, increase operational resilience along the Northeast Corridor and support future capacity growth. CEG
